Jeshaun Jones had a keen eye for talent during his time at Maryland, especially when it came to the Vikings' recent draft pick, Tai Felton. As a former teammate, Jones made sure to pitch Felton's potential to the Vikings' wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, saying, "You gotta look out for Tai Felton and Kaden Prather." It seems his lobbying worked because Felton eventually landed in Minnesota.
Jones wasn't shy about telling Felton that the Vikings had their sights set on him. "I honestly saw a lot of stuff on me on Twitter, social media, and the like.
The buzz was that they needed a receiver, so I had a hunch," Jones reflects. With Coach McCardell's previous ties to Maryland and his friendship with Coach Locksley, it seemed only natural for the Vikings to have their eye on Felton, who had consistently put good things on tape.
Jones offered this bit of wisdom to Felton: "If you put good stuff on tape and ball out, they're gonna come get you." And indeed, that's exactly what happened.
When asked about Felton's standout qualities, Jones didn't hesitate to highlight his former teammate's route-running prowess. "He's a great route runner," Jones explained.
"He drops his weight well, moves fluidly in and out of breaks, and he's deceptively fast with the ball. Felton's ability to run past defenders and make them miss after the catch is impressive."
Felton's path to prominence was a patient one. He spent years honing his craft behind standout receivers like Jones, Rakim Jarrett, and Dontay Demus.
But last season was Felton's time to shine. "He watched, learned, and waited for his opportunity," Jones said.
"Once it was his turn, he did exactly what I knew he would do—he took off. Seeing him learn and adjust throughout his career and then finally break out was rewarding."
Jones' insights paint a picture of a player who not only watched his predecessors but learned from them, positioning himself for success when his time came. Now, with the Vikings, Tai Felton is ready to make his mark.
